If you love country music today, there are quite a few big names from the 20th century you have to thank. Without the following three country songs from 1963, specifically, who knows what country music would look like today? These three tracks were very influential, and they’re also well-aged gems that still sound amazing today. Let’s take a look!
Videos by American Songwriter
“Ring Of Fire” by Johnny Cash
Few songs in country music history are more influential than Johnny Cash’s long-enduring hit, “Ring Of Fire”. To many, even non-country fans, this is the one song they know Cash for. While the country icon has more than a few extremely memorable hits in his discography, there’s something about this country classic that still stands the test of time.
“Ring Of Fire”, surprisingly enough, is actually a cover. And the person who wrote it is none other than the woman who would eventually become Cash’s wife. June Carter and Merle Kilgore wrote this song in the early 1960s, and Anita Carter was the first to record it. Johnny Cash added the tune to his compilation album Ring Of Fire: The Best Of Johnny Cash, and the rest is history. This song was a No. 1 hit on the country charts for a whopping seven weeks.
“Detroit City” by Bobby Bare
This country tune was unique in that it helped popularize the idea of socially conscious songwriting in country music, focusing less on sappy love songs and more on shining a light on the working-class struggle. “Detroit City” by Bobby Bare is a melodic country tune about a working man from the rural South who finds himself alienated by those around him in the North. It’s a mournful tune, one that lets the listener come to their own conclusion instead of spoon-feeding them the tune’s deeper meaning. “Detroit City” was a Grammy-winner, too, and peaked at No. 6 on the Hot Country Singles chart and No. 16 on the Hot 100 chart.
“Act Naturally” by Buck Owens
The Bakersfield Sound might not have enjoyed such a boom in the 20th century if it weren’t for Buck Owens’ tunes. And “Act Naturally” from 1963 is one of his finest career country songs. You won’t find the smooth, polished Nashville vibe on this tune. “Act Naturally” was a raw, electric country tune that would go on to influence country rockers that followed in Owens’ footsteps. And, naturally, it topped the Hot Country Singles chart in 1963. The Beatles even covered it, for crying out loud! It doesn’t get more influential than that.
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
Leave a Reply
Only members can comment. Become a member. Already a member? Log in.